


Just Relax

by storiesfromrae



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Romance, Slow Dancing, Zutara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:28:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26705998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesfromrae/pseuds/storiesfromrae
Summary: They danced in silence for a little while longer. It was a comforting silence, not awkward at all, as they enjoyed each other’s embrace. She loved when he held her. He loved to hold her.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 59





	Just Relax

“Katara”.

“Yeah Zuko”, she replied.

“What is it like?”

“What is what like ?”

“Dancing”.

She sat up curiously. “What do you mean dancing?” 

“I don’t know how to dance”.

“What? How?”

Dancing was like a forbidden fruit in the Fire Nation. It was against the law. How could something so enjoyable and so seemingly harmless be so bad. So bad that it needed to be banned. Zuko felt embarrassed that he had even mentioned it in the first place.

“You know what, forget I asked”, he sulked as he returned to his book, returning to his curled up position under the Wisteria Tree. 

The giant Wisteria Tree stood tall and firm, peacefully swaying in the summer breeze, right on the outskirts of the city. It was beautiful, and was believed to signify romance. It was his and Katara’s favorite place to spend their summer afternoons. Together under the Wisteria Tree. 

“Stand up fool”, Katara chuckled. “I’ll teach you”.

Zuko slapped his book on his face and groaned. He whined like a child. “I said forget it. You’re probably just going to laugh at me anyways”. He rolled his eyes.

“I promise I won’t laugh”, she said, trying her best not to crack a smile as she extended her arm downwards. “Please please dance with me”.

“No”.

“Pretty pretty pleaseee”, she begged. Her hands folded in one another, her bright blue eyes pleading for Zuko to take her hand.

“Fine”.

Zuko arose, a sheepish look smothered across his face. “Okay so what’s the first step?”, he asked reluctantly. 

“Hold my hand in yours, make sure your left hand is on my waist, and just dance. You just gotta feel it”.

He rested his hand on her waist. _Just dance. How was he supposed to ‘just dance’ if he didn’t know how to dance. There wasn’t even any music. What was he supposed to be ‘feeling’?_

“Oh come on, are you all of a sudden afraid of me? You’re acting like we’ve never touched”, Katara made a face. “Get closer”, she demanded, sealing the distance between the two. She could feel his heart beating rapidly against her chest. _Awe, he was so nervous._

Zuko tightened his grip on her waist, straightening his posture as if he were a soldier. “Okay not too hard buddy”, Katara smiled. “Just relax”. 

His face flushed a bright red. _They were only on the first step and he already felt stupid. Just relax._

“Just hold me the way you’d normally hold me if we were still sitting under that tree”, she said pointing. “Or the way you hold me when I have trouble sleeping at night”. 

Zuko blushed. He loved holding Katara. The warmth of her skin always comforted him. He always felt at peace when she would let him cuddle with her as they exchanged tales about their escapades and their life journeys. He was just nervous right now for some reason. _Just relax, he thought._

“Like this?” 

“That’s perfect. Now just follow my steps. It’s really easy. I promise”, she reassured.

_It’s like a box. Step forward with your left foot and glide to the right. Now step back with your right foot and glide to your left. Repeat. Just follow Katara’s movements._

“Heyy you’re starting to get it”.

“It’s not as bad as I thought it was”, he admitted diffidently. “Plus you’re a good teacher Katara”.

She loved when he said her name. So gentle and so kind. 

They danced in silence for a while. 

“You’re a natural”, she finally said, a soft whisper in Zuko’s ear. True to her word, as if he really were a natural, Zuko gently unlinked his fingers from Katara’s warm hand and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, wanting to fill the empty space with a part of his body. Both of his hands now laid on her waist. 

Her big ocean-blue eyes locked with the warm autumn tones of his golden eyes. Her gaze sparked a fire in his heart. He tightened his grip, ever so slightly. Her fingers tenderly worked their way through the ends of his hair. 

Their box step turned into a simple, gentle, side to side movement. She buried her face in his chest.

They danced in silence for a little while longer. It was a comforting silence, not awkward at all, as they enjoyed each other’s embrace. She loved when he held her. He loved to hold her. 

“Let me spin you”, Zuko said, breaking the silence.

“You wanna what?”, Katara chuckled and moved her neck back to look at him, trying to decipher if he was serious or not. 

“You heard me. I want to try the spin”. 

“Go for it”.

They swayed a little, then Zuko held out his arm, making room for Katara to twirl.

Her blue summer dress danced around in the cool summer breeze. Her fingers grasping the tips of Zuko’s fingers as she spun twice. Two graceful twirls. 

_You got this. Just relax._

As Katara thought she was finishing her second spin, Zuko swiftly pulled her waist into his and leaned forward ever so slightly, his hand caressing the small of her back. 

Katara was caught by surprise, but was still able to keep up with his swift movements, as she slightly arched her back and completed the move with one hand in the air. 

“Zuko”, she playfully hit his chest. She didn’t move her hand though. Katara liked the feeling of his body, the radiating heat she felt just from touching him. “You lied to me. You said you didn’t know anything about dancing”. 

“I didn’t. Well I don’t. But I may have seen a thing or two at those fancy ballroom dances that my mother always used to make us attend”, he smirked. 

“Wow, you always have some sly trick up your sleeve”. 

“I just wanted to dance with you”, he confessed.

“You’re so cute sometimes”, she said rumpling his hair. 

“Katara”, he chuckled. “Can I kiss you?”.

“No”.

“Pretty pretty please”, he pouted. 

“No”, she teased. 

“Kataraaa”, he implored. 

She giggled. “Of course, you’ve earned it my little dancing prince” she replied, barely able to finish her sentence as Zuko bent down and pressed his soft, warm lips to hers.


End file.
